


Bite-Sized Morsels

by Locksnek



Category: The Dark Crystal (1982), The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (TV)
Genre: Gen, Other, Skeksis - Freeform, occasionally others but who am i kidding it's skeksis
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:20:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28391562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Locksnek/pseuds/Locksnek
Summary: Server write-in drabbles.  Most of my drabbles end up being incorporated into longer stories, so this will only include those few that don’t have another home.None of these should end up higher than “teen” rating.  Warnings in chapter start notes, if needed.  Chapter titles are [prompt – character(s)].
Comments: 12
Kudos: 12





	1. Lost & Found - skekUng, skekLi, skekEkt

**Author's Note:**

> These are just going to be randomly added, in the order they were written, when I feel like it.

SkekUng sweeps past, snarling. “When I find you, I swear–” 

“Thra help whoever he’s after,” SkekOk mutters to SkekEkt as the threats escalate. 

“ _You!_ Come out immediately, or I’ll have SkekEkt make a hat of you.”

“Ohh!” SkekEkt claps, scurrying around the corner. “Stay right there!” 

SkekLi approaches, sees the others eyeing a deep nook in the wall, and snickers.

“ _You_ get him out, then.”

SkekLi hawks phlegm and begins singing, a soft tune in some arcane tongue. Following a shuffling, a small feathery head emerges and nuzzles his hand. 

SkekLi deposits the baby phegnese into SkekUng’s arms. “You’re welcome.”


	2. Last Sight - urTih, urRu

They’re used to being the main features of their cloistered environment, attending their daily business quietly, seeing little but each other. Now, they’re only slow but inexorably-moving dots in a wide bleakness, ground sere, dull grey sky scraping all the horizons.

If all things converge, this may be nearly the last they see of each other. It’s the last they see of one. UrTih, without warning, flares up into a walking pyre which instantly snuffs itself out. Some see the fire, some turn at the sound and see nothing at all.

Nothing can be done. They move on quietly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UrRu, in my fanfiction? Actually, it's about as likely as you think. Don't get used to it. X)


	3. Celebration - Skeksis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a mediocre drabble about a mediocre moment, but here it is.

They try reconstructing essence-fueled parties of bygone days, after SkekTek has dragged the pale-haired Gelfling away. Of course there won’t be much to go around, after draining, and most for the new Emperor. 

SkekAyuk and SkekEkt try coaxing SkekOk into a dance. SkekNa jokes loudly, but keeps one sharp eye on Chamberlain as the latter sidles up to SkekUng with typical ingratiating boldness. 

SkekShod creeps uneasily to SkekZok. “Should’ve…killed Gelfling, here and now,” the Treasurer rasps. “Not worth–the risk…”

SkekZok nods, his stern face frowning openly. “If one slunk under our eye, who knows what else…” 


	4. Oblivion - skekSo, skekVar (kind of), skekTek

  
He’d only ever truly confided in his General. Ironic, given SkekVar’s scant philosophy–but, maybe, that was the point. SkekVar had no _dangerous wit_ , just nodded, stared devotedly. 

Now, SkekVar’s gone. They’d discussed this…” _beyond_.”

SkekSo doesn’t want SkekZok’s input. That one’s wit, _too_ sharp: danger. He ambles drunkenly into the laboratory, where SkekTek tinkers with the Garthim.

“ _Scientist,_ ” SkekSo hisses, by way of announcing himself. SkekTek suppresses a yelp. “In your estimation: What’s…befallen my General?” 

SkekTek reeks terror, cringes back against his Garthim. “Most worthy, elevated Emperor, I’m not qualified–”

“ _What’s happened to SkekVar!?_ ”

“ _Please._ I don’t know.”


	5. Heartless - skekLi, skekGra

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one-sided ship upsets me deeply. I don't know why I need to do this, but here we are.

Conveniently, skekLi is a linguistic savant. The Conqueror brings him abroad in Thra, to aide the cause of imperial expansion.

skekLi absorbs, translates languages with hunger that surpasses almost anything. He talks to chiefs, matriarchs, dictators. Language is a light kindling behind his eyes and flowing down his spine.

The other hunger’s worse though, likely even more insatiable. skekLi looks at skekGra as though the Conjunction might recur behind skekGra’s eyes and consume them both. 

skekLi _knows_ skekGra brooks no affection, must be inebriated before he’ll let anyone near him. The Satirist uses his quick knack for languages to discover local liquor, bringing skekGra the spoils.

It’s not that the Conqueror _has_ no heart; it’s that he _wants_ no heart. skekLi balances upon shared interests, obligations, inebriations. He _almost_ hates himself for it. His memories, from the-before, are no different–One LiLii, pouring himself into one GraGoh, without reciprocity. 


	6. Crown of Madness - skekUng, skekNa, skekGra (discussed)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one was used in my story A Failure to Save Face, but I didn’t post it on the server during the write-in session that spawned it because I found it too spoilery. Now I’m including it in this collection due to the infamy of the “Crown of Madness” prompt, and also because I just kinda like it.

The door took its time opening, and then the face that peered out registered wariness before anything else; skekUng’s eyes darted along the corridor, then he yanked skekNa in by the hook and shut the door hastily. This was bad, if even skekUng feared to run into skekSo.

The two stared at each other for a long, uncertain moment.

“Took your time getting here,” skekUng volunteered at last.

“Chamberlain made us bathe. skekOk told us everything.” 

“Great. Where were you? Unum gone, no message…”

“Held ransom by Gruenak pirates.”

skekUng rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Of course you were, because the whole world is going batshit insane.” 

“Is it true?” skekNa canted his head, sniffing at skekUng as though some smell of iron or blood might yet remain on him.

“Whatever skekOk told you is the official truth.” 

“So he went mad.” 

“Yeah.” 

“And you drove the nail in.”


End file.
